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H. D. THATOHER.

ADJUSTABLE SHELF FASTENER.

No. 379,252. Patented Mar. 13, 1888.

I i a ATTEST,

/(.//'a v aw UNTTED STATES PATENT Fries.

HERVEY DEXTER THATOHER, OF POTSDAM, NEW YORK.

ADJUSTABLE SH ELF-=FA STENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,252, dated March13, 1888.

Application filed December 24, 18 87. Serial No; 258,875. (X0 modeL-l T0aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HERVEY DEXTER THATcHER,a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Potsdam, in the county of St. Lawrence and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAdjustable Shelf-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make use thesame.

My invention has relation to revolving shelves which are at the sametime adjustable upon the supportirig-standard to which they areattached. Heretofore it has been customary to tap a set-screw throughthe annular hub carrying the shelf and to bind the same in place uponits supporting shaft or standard by engaging the end of the screw withthe surface of the shaft or standard. This is objectionable in that thepoint of the set-screw soon destroys the finish of the surface of theshelf-standard, abrading, marring, and defacing the same until it isunornate and unserviceable. Moreover, by this old means of securingshelves to the standard the adjustment is often inconvenient, and fromthe inaccessibility of the screws difficult to secure.

To this end my improvement consists in a spindle or shaft, eithertubular or solid, resting upon its pointed or rounded lower end in astep or socket upon the base of the case or frame and carried at itsupper extremity in a socket which projects from the under face of thetop of the case or frame, the said spindle being, for convenience ofready removal, of less length than the distance between the top 'andbase of the case, but sufficiently long to be securely held in place bythe elongated upper bearing or tubular socket, in which for removal orreplacement the upper extremity of the spindle has full longitudinalplay to permit the lower extremity tobe stepped out of or into itsbearing. Upon the spindle thus seated within its bearings in the caseare firmly secured a series of shelves made easily and quicklyadjustable by means of spring-metal clamping-bands, which inclose thesplit-ended sleeves or tubular supports upon which the shelvesthemselves are firmly secured. These clamping-bands are brought togetherand closed down upon the tubular sleeves by means of thumb-screws.

My improvement is fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, and to which reference is to behad, like letters of reference designating similar parts in the severalviews, of which- Figure l is'a perspective view of a case such as isused to display druggists goods and other similar wares. Fig. 2 is adetail showing certain parts thereof in central vertical section, andFig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a shelf and its fastener.

A represents the case.

B is the spindle or shaft, stepped into its bottom bearing, 0, upon thebase of the case.

D is the elongated downwardly projecting upper bearing, in which the topof the spindle telescopes when the same is sufficiently raised to liftit from its bottom step, but which upper bearing is sufficiently long toretain the spindle in place when at rest in its bottom step.

E represents any one of the series of revoluble shelves, of which I haveshown two. Each shelf E is firmly secured to a short hollow tubularsleeve, F, which sleeve is slightly larger in diameter than the diameterof the spindle, and projects preferably above and below the two surfacesof the shelf. The extremities of each sleeve are provided with a splitor cut-away portion, f, Fig. 3. This split or cut-away portion isengaged by a clampingband, G, of spring metal,open at one point of itsperiphery and provided with a thumbscrew, g, passing through screw-holesin the outwardlyturned ends of the said springmetal clamping-band. Thesleeve F is of spring metal, as is also the clam ping-band, each havingnormal tendency to remain expanded.

The operation of my device is exceedingly simple and quickly effected.The spindle being eitherin or out of place, as hereinbefore described, ashelf upon the same is quickly raised or lowered, fastened orunfastened, by simply turning the thumb-screw, thus tightening orloosening the clamping-band, as the case may be. The engagement of theshelf with the spindle is thus exact and unaccompanied with any marringor defacement of the spindle whatever. Its polished surface is not evengrazed,the pressure brought to bear upon its entire body is so uniformand evenly distributed. Moreover, by means of the elongated bearinggiven to each shelf by the tubular sleeve rigidly fitted thereto and theuniform compression brought to bear upon the extremities thereof, muchmore exact horizontality is secured for the shelves upon their spindlewithout impairing in any degree their adj ustability.

A single clamping-band would secure the shelf; but I preferably employtwo at each eX- tremity of the split-ended spring-metal sleeve.

Various modifications of my improvement are within the scope of myinvention, and I wish, therefore, it to be distinctly understood thatany changes which do not differ in sub stance fall within its scope andare not herein relinquished.

Having now fully and precisely described my invention and its mode ofoperatiomwhat I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis 1. A case or frame provided with an upper spring-metal sleeve splitat the end, with the screw-controlled clamping-band encircling the same,whereby the positive engagement of the sleeve with the spindle issecured by uniform pressure upon its entire surface, while admitting ofready adjustment upon the shaft Without marring its surf-(ice, as setforth.

HERVEY DEXTER THATOHER.

Witnesses:

HARVEY PATTEN BARNHART, WALTER RosWELL PERRIN.

